Here are some examples of school building design plans with relating technical details, inspiring project DWG drawings and 3D BIM models ready for you to download

This week’s Architecture Focus completes our study on school floor plan with new examples of school buildings interior design, technical installations, materials and furnishings. We thus conclude the analysis started with our first article and second article on school activities and urban aspects.

Let’s start off with an example of a school building design project inspired by Dorte Mandrup Architectural team‘s Råå Day Care Center. You can download the project 3D model, the software trial version in order to explore the project while navigating it online and the relating CAD DWG resources (floor plans, elevation , section, isometric views).

Examples of school buildings: technical installations

To ensure high-level environmental comfort in a school where flexibility is one of the main characteristics, it is necessary to design a certain plant installation flexibility that best meets the needs arising from continuous environment remodelling.

Such needs are relating to different types of activities that can be carried out, thus implying different lighting, heating, ventilation devices, which are determined according to the number of users.

Main and secondary electrical system distribution and data

The distribution system must provide for the possibility of modifying the service type supplied in the terminals, ie “sockets”. Therefore, it should be used a specific technique that allows to know whether a socket provides data or energy by the end of works, so to favor spaces customization and adaptation.

Each environment should have an electrical switchboard accordingly that grants its autonomous management.

A lighting design needs to consider three elements: the amount of light, the light quality and the distribution of the lighting devices. The combination of these three elements must generate a supporting lighting environment. A basic lighting and an accent lighting (i.e. a light focused on objects or architectural elements with narrow-beam light cones) will change the lighting conditions depending on the types of activities.

Low-consumption light sources, room brightness control systems and people presence sensors could be adopted as solutions to limit consumption and reduce operating costs, without affecting the quality of the lighting environment and performance of the various lamps.

The technical installation system

Ventilation and primary air

The quality of primary air is a condition of the space usage, in addition to air exchange obtained with natural ventilation and artificial lighting.

Air conditioning

Different technological solutions need to be considered in order to achieve the highest heating and cooling quality in school environments in line with the building envelope, the type of school, the number of users and spaces flexibility. Technology helps to create systems that users can adjust according to the nature of exposure, orientation, intended use and, more generally, rooms flexibility.

Water system

The integration of water system and water management in respect to territory needs (groundwater dispersion, use of wells, use of collection tanks, lamination) is to be considered an overall project of conscious use of water resources.

Energy generation

Geothermal, wind energy, cogeneration, photovoltaic cells, district heating and all forms of responsible energy generation are positive and pedagogical factors.

Data and connection

The founding element of a new educational system is accessibility to information, databases and the possibility to process and manage new medias and technologies.

This implies the importance of setting a good connection and access for the building to data networks both via cable and through a wifi system installed in all environments, together with a certain number of electrical sockets for hardware equipment charging (IWB, tablets, computers, peripherals, e-book readers, etc.)

Installation system management, maintenance and monitoring

Installation system maintenance takes place, where possible, using domotics (with autonomous and remote management, such as rain sensors that automatically close the skylights) and the telematic network with remote control and repairs (temperature regulation, humidity regulation) and general monitoring via the network.

Components practical and physical maintenance is more commonly performed when facilitated by accessible and easily inspectable electrical panels.

Examples of school buildings: materials

The choice of materials, particularly finishing materials that qualify appearance and methods of use, is fundamental in terms of architecture quality.

Children have a type of knowledge approach that involves all five senses. For this reason, they should ideally be surrounded by an environment that is rich, varied and interesting from a sensorial point of view. Therefore, such environment must be characterized by different materials, colors and lights, supporting the child’s growth.

Durability, maintainability, sustainability, cost and aesthetics aspects must be considered.

The aging capacities of materials must be assessed, both in terms of permanence performance (insulation, waterproofing, chromatic, etc.) and aesthetic performance.

Small laboratories should be provided for maintenance and storage of replacement materials, both for the construction part and for storing tools.

Example of school buildings: furnishings

Tables replace desks: they allow to work in small groups, to do research, but also to look at the blackboard or a projection together.

Educational tools are contained in carts that are ‘extracted’ from a dispenser depending on the activity.

It is expected a continuous multiplication of communication supports (such as smartboard, traditional blackboard, tablet, etc.) and the disappearance of the desk, which is replaced by a series of places where the adult can use tools, sit down, deposit material, work.

The European standard EN 1729 regulates the furnishings subject for school buildings.

These standards set chairs and desks dimensions also in relation to the growing PC use during lessons.

Examples of school buildings: the Råå Day Care Center in Helsingborg

When looking at the RååDay care center the definition “becoming part of the landscape”comes to mind. Dorte Mandrup has designed a children day care center in Råå, Sweden, with the utmost respect for its surroundings. The building is based on the surrounding landscape, with its flat slightly sloping dunes and the distinctive typology of the small fishermen houses. An architecture for children conceived according to both principles of creative playing and connection to the landscape all around them.

The floor plan consists of single closed volumes that are joined by shared spaces and a single roof.

The gables remind of the classical architecture of the place, but the structure, roof and cladding of the facades bring the work back to the present day.

The ancient door becomes a large window: the robinia wooden cover has large window openings, two facing the sea and two facing inside the school, while four large skylights are mounted on the roofs.

The natural lighting and the visual relationship with the landscape are two of the fundamental themes of the project, both relating to the window surfaces.

In fact, they are designed to fully absorb the sunlight available throughout the year and to connect the children daily life to nature, to the bay and the view that the ancient fishermen had.

Windows and skylights also correspond to the four rooms that host groups of children.

The environments overlooking the common area are freely arranged along the single floor plan.

On the inside, the tones of the structural plywood, which characterizes all the furnishings and the wall units, heat the room and contrast with the acid green of the linoleum floor.

The dividing bookcases frame surprising views, while the different slopes of the roof create hidden places that stimulate playing and sharing.

The large roof and a playing area with sandboxes and native plants are part of the exterior design and create an artificial landscape which is partially walkable thanks to the two stairways that are integrated to satisfy climbing desires.

Cookie and Privacy Settings

How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab.

Click to enable/disable essential site cookies.

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Click to enable/disable Google Webfonts.

Google Map Settings:

Click to enable/disable Google Maps.

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha.

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Click to enable/disable video embeds.

Privacy Policy

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.